EVENT MANAGEMENT

Cross-Cultural Management Skills

Cross-Cultural Skills

Introduction

International business managers rate the ability to work with people of other cultures as the most important quality of success, particularly in overseas assignments. Yet most International Business programs in the United States deal inadequately with cultural differences in management. Too often the issue is addressed only at the cognitive level. (Lewis, 2006: 224)

Capturing the rising influence of culture and the seismic changes throughout many regions of the world, cross-cultural expert and international businessman Richard Lewis has significantly broadened the scope of his seminal work on global business and intercultural communication. Within each country-specific chapter, Lewis provides invaluable insight into the beliefs, values, behaviors, mannerisms and prejudices of each culture, lending helpful advice on topics to discuss and those to avoid when communicating, guides to interpreting unique terminology, and modes of behavior that will contribute to successful communication and lasting relationships. (Cockcroft, 2005: 166)

Literature Review

Cultures are generally classified in very different wa s: The Swiss are punctual and detail oriented. The polite and respectful Japanese must never lose face. Risktaking Americans are driven by money and profit. (Chrobot-Mason, 2007: 18) Although you might be aware of some of the typical cultural classifications, do you know your own cultural profile? Surprisingly, it may not necessarily jibe with the cultural profile of your home co un try. So, which cultures are most similar to your natural preferences? Which culture are vastly different? Many global citizens, by the very nature of our interests in othecultures, deviate from the cultural norm of our societies to some extent. In the cultural assessment below, mv natural tendencies are much closer to the multi-active cultures of southern Europe than to the linear-active culture of my native country, the U.S.A. Finding out where you, stand, culturally speaking, will help ou understand yourself better compared to the culture in which you choose to live, tra el, or work. And it will give you an overview of the similarities and differences of various other cultures. (Brett, 2006: 12)

Lewis (2006) advises on overarching guidelines for proper overseas manners, whether in a restaurant, at the home of a colleague or in the boardroom. Using dozens of scientific, yet highly accessible diagrams and building on his Linear-active, Multi-active and Reactive (LMR) culture type model, Lewis gives managers and leaders practical strategies to embrace differences and work successfully across an increasingly diverse business culture. (Browaeys, 2008: 78) Lewis divides cultural characteristics into three groups: “linear active”, “multiactive” and “reactive”. He argues that people of different nations exhibit characteristics from each of these groups to different degrees. For example, some linear active traits are: introvert, plans ahead methodically, works fixed hours, follows procedure, limited body language; some multiactive traits are: extrovert, plans grand design but impatient with detail; works any hours, does several things at once, interrupts frequently, interweaves personal and professional; and some reactive traits are: introvert, sees whole picture, plans slowly, subtle body language. (Lewis, 2006: 224)

Lewis categorises nations by determining which of the groups their characteristics tend to ...